1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to wireless telecommunications and, more particularly, to a method and system for routing calls to a platform that performs wireless telecommunications services for wireless subscribers.
2. Background
Providing immediate access to home and work from remote locations, cellular, PCS, and wireless telephones have become increasingly popular. No longer prohibitively expensive, cell phones are used by a wide range of consumers. Presently, there are over 75 million cellular customers (xe2x80x9csubscribersxe2x80x9d) worldwide. Predictions show that over 300 million customers will be using cellular systems by the year 2,000. Cell phones and systems that are being introduced to the market have advanced features, services, and cost advantages over the older cellular technologies.
Wireless service providers (xe2x80x9cWSPsxe2x80x9d) offer their subscribers several options for improving their wireless telecommunications services. Certain services were created as added conveniences for the subscriber. Other services were created to reduce overall costs to the subscriber and/or the WSP. Three of the most popular services are the Follow Me service, the Pre-Paid Calling service, and the Calling Party Pays service.
The Follow Me service (a.k.a. xe2x80x9cSingle Number Servicexe2x80x9d) allows a subscriber to be called at any time of the day using a single telephone number. The subscriber provides a schedule to the WSP, indicating the subscriber""s usual whereabouts during the day. For instance, the subscriber may indicate that he is in his office during the morning hours, in his car during certain afternoon hours, and at home during the evening hours. In addition, the subscriber provides the directory numbers for each location. The WSP stores this information and the associated directory numbers for each location in a dedicated platform. The subscriber is then given a new Follow Me directory number that is associated with the platform providing the Follow Me services. When this number is called, the call is directed to the Follow Me platform which then locates the customer in real-time using the predefined schedule and telephone number (at his home, at his office, etc. . . ).
Pre-Paid Calling allows a caller to purchase cellular service in discrete time increments. The subscriber purchases a certain number of minutes of cellular service from the WSP. The WSP provides a new directory number to the subscriber that is associated with a platform providing the Pre-Paid Calling services. Callers who dial this new are routed to the platform which stores information about the subscriber""s account status. If the subscriber has time remaining in his account, the platform connects the call to the subscriber. If the subscriber has no time remaining in his account, the caller is informed of the subscriber""s account status and the call is disconnected.
Calling Party Pays service allows a subscriber to request that callers pays for calls made to his wireless phone. The caller is provided a directory number for all Calling Party Pays calls. When callers dial the directory number, they are directed to a dedicated Calling Party Pays platform that asks the caller if she would like to pay for the call. If the caller responds in the affirmative, the call is connected to the caller. If the caller declines to pay, the call is disconnected.
While each of these services provide greater flexibility to the caller, they each have drawbacks as well. First, each service requires the provisioning of a new directory number that routes a caller to an adjunct platform. As the number of cellular subscribers increases and these services become more ubiquitous, the number of required directory numbers will increase as well.
The imposition of local number portability (xe2x80x9cLNPxe2x80x9d) also poses problems for such services. LNP is designed to allow subscribers to switch (or xe2x80x9cportxe2x80x9d) their directory numbers to another service providers within their area. Thus, service providers are required to provide an infrastructure for routing calls from their network to the network of the new service provider. With services that use adjunct platforms, the new number allocated for the platform must remain with the subscriber if the subscriber decides to change service providers. Currently, wireless providers do not have the sufficient mechanisms for routing ported calls to the adjunct platform.
One solution to this problem would be the implementation of wireless Advanced Intelligent Network (xe2x80x9cAINxe2x80x9d) capabilities (sometimes referred to as Wireline Intelligent Networks). Currently, wireline AIN allows calls to be quickly and efficiently routed to other locations within the network. AIN uses a group of switches, transfer points, and service control points (xe2x80x9cSCPsxe2x80x9d) coupled to computer databases to make decisions regarding calls and route the calls to their proper destination. In addition, AIN uses a group of xe2x80x9ctriggersxe2x80x9d that cause network components to behave differently and route calls differently than expected.
For instance, the terminating attempt (xe2x80x9cTATxe2x80x9d) trigger would be useful in routing wireless service calls to the proper platform. The TAT trigger causes a switch in the network to pause during call processing and obtain call routing instructions from an SCP. The SCP may access a database to determine the proper routing instructions. The SCP may then transmit a message back to the switch indicating the final destination of the call. Thus, in the wireless environment, the call could ultimately be routed to the proper platform despite local number portability requirements.
Unfortunately, AIN is very expensive to implement in a wireline network. A wireless version of AIN would likely be expensive to implement and would require a large financial undertaking by a wireless service provider.
The present invention provides a method and system for emulating certain AIN capabilities in a wireless environment without the need for wireless AIN elements. Specifically, the method and system of the present invention allows a wireless service provider to route calls to a service platform using local number portability elements and functionality. Thus, the service provider is not forced to provide additional directory numbers to subscribers. Since new numbers aren""t provided, the problems associated with the porting of those numbers are also eliminated.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, wireless telecommunications services that use a platform having a unique NPA-NXXX may use local number portability capabilities in their own network as well as other network""s to effect the routing required for the service. More particularly, the wireless service provider xe2x80x9cportsxe2x80x9d directory numbers of service subscribers to platforms within its own network. When a caller dials the subscriber, the local switch for the caller (whether wireline or wireless) suspends call processing to determine whether the number has been ported. First, the switch examines a table to determine the portability of the number. Since the number has been xe2x80x9cportedxe2x80x9d by the wireless service provider, the switch queries a local number portability service control point. The SCP accesses a database to determine the local routing number for the xe2x80x9cnewxe2x80x9d number. The SCP then returns a local routing number corresponding to the platform for the service.
The platform may be coupled to an end office in the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Alternatively, the platform may be coupled to a mobile switch in the mobile network. In either event, the call is routed to the platform, which then performs the desired service. If the service is a Follow Me service, for example, the platform accesses records in a database and performs an algorithm to determine the most likely location of the subscriber. The platform then routes the call to the directory number of that location.
Since most wireline service providers are under an obligation to perform LNP functions for ported wireless numbers, this ensures that calls originating from other carriers will be directly routed to the adjunct platform without intelligent processing capabilities normally performed by the wireless service provider.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for routing calls to a wireless services platform that does not require the implementation of wireless AIN.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and system for routing calls to a wireless services platform that emulates advanced intelligent network functionality.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a method and system for routing calls to a wireless services platform that uses the existing local number portability infrastructure.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for routing calls to a wireless services platform that does not require the provision of additional directory numbers.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.